Images, artifacts and impressions collected by photographer and journalist Penny Schwartz from her travels through Central Asia will be on display in the Assembly Room of the A.K. Smiley Public Library in Redlands from Sunday through Sept.

The exhibit, titled “My Silk Road,” includes 20 color images, along with artifacts such as a rare Turkmen wedding hat and jewelry, Kyrgyz skullcaps and a pair of Uzbek puppets.

“In 2004, my husband, Leon, and I traveled through the storied lands of Central Asia, following the path of ancient traders along what came to be known as the Silk Road,” Schwartz said.

“This east-west trade route flourished for about eight centuries, beginning in 100 B.C., and ran from Xian, China, to what is now Istanbul, Turkey. Our journey took us from Istanbul to Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan. In addition to all of the fascinating landscapes and architecture, the people of the regions we traveled through, and their cultural traditions, remain with me,” she said.

A native New Yorker, Schwartz graduated from New York University.

She said travel has always been a pivotal part of her life. After spending several years in Chicago, she and her husband settled in the early 1970s in Redlands, where she raised two children and earned a Master of Arts degree in English literature from the University of Redlands.

She has been a freelance writer in the areas of arts, theater, restaurants and travel for more than 30 years and has also taught journalism and English as a Second Language.

“I’ve known Penny for years and am familiar with her work,” said Don McCue, director of the A.K. Smiley Public Library.

“When Penny and her collaborator, longtime local curator Michele Nielsen, came to me with an exhibit proposal, I thought the library’s patrons would enjoy seeing some of Penny’s material,” McCue said.

Visitors interested in viewing the exhibit can visit the access the Assembly Room between 1 and 5 p.m. every day of the week, with the exception of when groups are meeting in the room.

“The library’s Assembly Room is in high demand as both a meeting space and exhibition area,” McCue said.

To be certain that the exhibit is accessible during a specific time, call the library at 909-798-7565, McCue said.

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